Promised Repairs for Buses and Out‑of‑Service Metro Trains
Source: La Presse – A meeting held on January 25 2025 set out a roadmap for a massive rehabilitation and renovation program for Transtu’s aging rolling stock.
The Situation
- Dozens of Siemens‑brand metro cars are slated for scrapping, but a significant number can still be salvaged.
- The only thing standing in the way is the cumbersome procedural maze that blocks even the simplest projects.
An Opportunity for Local Expertise
The first‑generation metros, introduced between 1985 and 1998, now require extensive work and determination. After 40 years of service and only minimal maintenance, their poor condition is unsurprising.
| Siemens fleet (original) | Year of entry | Number of cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 77 | |
| 1992 | 43 | |
| 1998 | 14 | |
| Total | — | 134 |
Where are the engineers who constantly complain about being left out of large‑scale projects? This is a chance for them to prove their worth and stop being “marginalised”.
Transtu could issue calls for proposals to engineers capable of tackling these challenges.
For the French‑made metros that entered service in 2008, hopes remain that they can be refurbished to like‑new condition—either by Tunisian specialists (as hinted) or by foreign technicians. These vehicles are still operational in their country of origin, making rapid renovation solutions feasible, albeit at a high cost.
- Estimated budget: 200 billion Tunisian millimes.
- Why wasn’t this explored earlier?
The rolling stock of lines 1, 4, and 6 needs comprehensive attention: door mechanisms, seats, ventilation & air‑conditioning, digital signage, and other technical details.
Roadmap Targets (January 2025)
“Finalize the repair of broken metros, aiming to have 60 light‑metro trains operational by the end of September 2025, and another 74 by December 2025, for a total of 80 trains,” – minutes of the working session between the Transport Minister and Transtu officials.
A heartfelt tribute to Tunisian technicians is also due; they keep the trains and metros running despite limited resources.
Reactivating Suspended or Cancelled Bus Lines
While discussing these problems, we keep the Transport Ministry’s roadmap in mind, whose goal is to guarantee quality public transport.
During the January 29 2025 working meeting with Transtu managers, four firm deadlines were set. The first, June 2025, calls for:
- Rationalising bus routes and re‑activating suspended lines.
- Operating 250 regular lines with a 20‑minute headway, requiring 750 buses in total.
Reality Check
- No visible improvement for passengers in Greater Tunis.
- No re‑activation of the promised suspended lines.
- No regular 15‑ or 20‑minute service on most routes.
In short: nothing major has changed. The announced fleet of new buses is nowhere to be seen, and most routes have unchanged frequencies. The official timetables show irrational and unrealistic intervals.
From Euphoria to Disillusion
- Some lines run every 170 minutes (e.g., line 54 A) or 130 minutes (line 33 A).
- Others vary between 30 and 100 minutes.
- Imagine waiting over two hours for a bus!
These absurd schedules are printed black‑on‑white in the official summer‑2025 timetable, yet they do not reflect reality. Many lines only run a few trips in the morning, then become sporadic or disappear entirely. Several routes do not operate on Sundays or public holidays.
The initial excitement surrounding the arrival of hundreds of new buses in June–July is now giving way to disappointment.
Why the Gap?
- Have the responsible parties encountered insurmountable obstacles?
- Are there conflicting orders within the institution?
Regardless of the cause, transparency is essential to maintain public trust.
Until Transtu fully honors its commitments, it must take urgent measures to ease passenger mobility.
Using Buses to Reinforce Metro Service
To alleviate the over‑burdened metro lines, especially the aging Metro 2, the authority should boost bus capacity on complementary routes:
| Suggested bus line | Key destinations |
|---|---|
| 6 P | Ariana Pulmonology Hospital |
| 63 | Mansoura II |
| 80 | Bokri |
| Origin | Habib‑Thameur Garden / Ali‑Belhaouane Square |
These routes, starting from Habib‑Thameur, would lighten the load on Metro 2, whose equipment is severely deteriorated and prone to frequent breakdowns.
Milestones to Watch
| Date | Expected Deliverable (Roadmap) |
|---|---|
| 3 Feb 2025 | Connect Lines E and D of the rapid rail network to Bougatfa and El Gobaa stations; launch four regular lines and a bus fleet to operate them. |
| 10 Feb 2025 | Implement a revenue‑control system and open all ticket windows to safeguard the company’s income. |
| June 2025 | Complete the bus‑line rationalisation and re‑activate suspended routes (target: 250 regular lines, 20‑minute headway). |
| September 2025 | Finish the first batch of metro refurbishments (60 trains). |
| December 2025 | Reach the total of 80 operational trains. |
If these deadlines are met, the high hopes expressed by commuters a few months ago will not evaporate. If not, the public deserves a clear explanation for the lack of progress, especially given the respectable fleet of both old and new buses at Transtu’s disposal.
Bottom Line
- Metro repairs take time, and passengers understand that.
- However, not expanding bus services despite a sizable fleet is unacceptable.
- With the dual‑session (presumably a legislative period) now in effect, Transtu must match supply with demand, especially as the university and school year begins.
Only a truly responsive leadership, listening to users, can turn promises into reality.
